Lesson 3: Other Factors to Consider in Your Walking Program
This lesson covers many of the other topics to consider when planning your walks. Factors discussed are how to find the right shoes, what clothing to wear, when to carry food and water, how to adjust to certain weather conditions and how to walk safely. This lesson also reviews certain accessories that you may want to use for walking such as pedometers, log books and various electronics.
Finding the Right Shoes
It is best to shop for shoes toward the end of the day because your feet tend to swell a bit during the day. You may also want to bring the socks that you intend to wear with your shoes.
Because the fit is crucial, it is necessary to try shoes on in person rather than ordering them online. Once you find shoes that work for you, you can order your next pair online.
Ideally, there will be a shoe store that specializes in athletic shoes, where there will be a professional to assist you. Going to the large chain sporting stores is not as good an option because you usually will not get professional service.
There are several types of walking shoes and the best for you depends on the characteristics of your feet and the type of walking you intend to do. Will you be walking on paved roads, on a treadmill or on trails? Do you have flat feet (over-pronate) or extra high arches (over-supinate)? The wet footprint test is a way to determine whether you over-pronate or over-supinate. Wet your foot and step on a flat surface. Look at the print. If you can see the majority of your foot in the imprint, then you are an over-pronator and should look for motion control shoes. If your imprint shows only a narrow band connecting the heel to the toes, then you are an over-supinator and need extra cushioning. Some amount of midfoot in the imprint means your foot pattern is normal. If, however, you are more than a few pounds overweight, you also want to consider a motion control shoe. Below are several types of shoes that are currently offered for walkers.
a. Motion Control - These are the shoes for over-pronators or people who are on the heavy side. While they give you excellent support, they do have the disadvantage of a thicker heel which makes walking somewhat more arduous.
b. Stability - Stability shoes are for people with normal footwear patterns that want a combination of support and cushioning.
c. Cushioned Shoes - These are the shoes for you if you have high arches. High arches means that the natural shock absorption abilities of your feet are minimal, so the cushioned shoes help to protect you from injury.
d. Racing Flats or Race Walker Shoes - These are a specialized shoe for racewalking. They are very lightweight to accommodate higher speeds, but do not have as much stability or durability.
e. Trail Shoes - Trail shoes can range from something slightly sturdier than sneakers to a full heavy boot. Your best choice is completely dependent on the type of terrain that you intend to use. For most trail areas that are near urban settings, a lightweight trail shoe will suffice.
